Giants placekicker Graham Gano needs surgery and is placed on injured reserve

Updated Nov. 3, 2023 4:28 p.m. ET

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants placekicker Graham Gano is going to have surgery on his swollen left knee and has been placed on injured reserve.

Giants coach Brian Daboll announced the decision Friday, adding the team has signed 22-year-old Cade York off the Tennessee Titans practice squad and veteran Randy Bullock to the practice squad.

Daboll would not say who will kick on Sunday when the Giants (2-6) are in Las Vegas to play the Raiders (3-5). He did not say whether Gano will miss the rest of the season.

Gano, who was in the locker room Friday with a elastic covering over his injured leg, would not disclose the nature of his injury, how long he might be out or when he got hurt. He said the pain levels have increased since his name appeared on the injury report in the week leading up to the game against Washington on Oct. 22.

“I said a few weeks ago when I popped up on the report was that if I could manage the pain and if I could play well and help the team win, then I’d keep doing it,” said Gano, who missed three of his last four field goal attempts. “That was what the reports were saying then on my knee, and things just progressed for the worst.”

Gano, who was hitting his field goal attempts at a roughly 90 percent rate since signing with the Giants as a free agent in 2020, was 11 of 17 this season. The most crucial miss was a 35-yarder with 24 seconds to play last weekend with the Giants ahead 10-7.

The Jets drove down the field and tied the game on the final play of regulation on a field goal by Greg Zuerlein, who added a game-winner in overtime.

Gano signed a three-year contract extension this season. He said he chose a surgery that would allow him to kick as soon as possible while performing well over the length of his contract.

Daboll wanted to see York and Bullock kick in practice Friday before deciding who plays Sunday.

Both players felt they kicked well. Bullock said he took only a few attempts. But he had more attempts in a tryout Thursday when he kicked with veterans Mason Crosby and Robbie Gould, fellow free agents.

York was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round last year. The LSU product made 24 of 32 field goal attempts and 35 of 37 extra points as a rookie. He was 4 of 8 in the preseason this year and lost his job when the Browns acquired veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers.

York, who was golfing when he got the call from the Giants, felt he had a good training camp with the Browns and never lost his confidence despite the missed kicks.

“I think I had just focused on things that were leading me in the wrong direction,” said York, who was given No. 99. “I was getting too aggressive to the ball and kind of causing some issues.”

This is Bullock's second stint with the Giants. He was active for one game after Josh Brown was suspended at the start of the 2016 season. Brown was released later that season after domestic abuse charges surfaced, and Gould finished the season for New York.

Bullock, who missed a game-winning field goal attempt for Tennessee against New York in the season opener last season, said he would be ready if needed Sunday.

“If I’m given an opportunity here, I want to contribute and play at a high level,” said the 33-year-old who has been working out in Houston while waiting for a chance.

Daboll said offensive tackles Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game, although they are making progress. Thomas (hamstring) has not played since the season opener, and Neal (ankle) has missed the last two.

Backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who started the last three games before injuring his ribs on Sunday, and tight end Darren Waller (hamstring) were both ruled out this weekend, along with Gano.

Starting quarterback Daniel Jones is returning to the lineup after missing three games with a neck injury.

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